


A Decision To Trust

by LifeLover



Category: Almost Paradise (TV)
Genre: Alex Walker Gets A Hug, Alex Walker Has a Praise Kink, Alex Walker Having Feelings, Alex Walker Needs A Hug, Burn-out mention, Caring Ernesto Alamares, Caring Kai Mendoza, Comforting Ernesto Alamares, Comforting Kai Mendoza, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Hurt Alex Walker, Episode: s01e01 Finding Mabuhay, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hair Kink, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Hypertension mentioned, Just had to write this, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Partner Betrayal mention, Post-Pilot Episode, Praise Kink, Pre-OT3, Pre-Threesome, Protective Dom Ernesto Alamares, Sub Alex Walker, Threesome - F/M/M, Trust Kink, Written at 2 am b/c I am so hyped from the episode, hair petting, physical health issues, ptsd mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23408125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifeLover/pseuds/LifeLover
Summary: Post-pilot episode, the party is over and everyone has left.  Except Kai and Ernesto.  In which the three discuss the importance of trust and about feeling safe and cared about.  And Alex finally gets the hug he needs.  Can be beginning friendship and partners choosing to care.  Or pre-OT3 and partners choosing to care.  My personal headcanon is pre-OT3.
Relationships: Ernesto Alamares & Alex Walker & Kai Mendoza, Ernesto Alamares/Alex Walker/Kai Mendoza
Comments: 14
Kudos: 43





	A Decision To Trust

**Author's Note:**

> So I was really looking forward to this show and watching it (now at 2:20 am) last night. I don't have tv, but my aunt and uncle who are Kaniacs and Leverage and Librarian fans have WGN and agreed to watch it with me so I could come over and use their tv. The pilot episode "Finding Mabuhay" was fantastic and all 3 of us are fans who will definitely watch the whole season. Even with my aunt (who is a professional nurse) and the comments on all the medical stuff mentioned. Which I expected and have no problem with - actually interesting to hear her thoughts on stuff. I watch stuff weekly with them, but I started the tradition by showing them "Leverage" so this will be fun. Plus, I found "Leverage" and "The Librarians" once they were already out on dvd, so I'm excited to show support in live-time by helping with ratings. So hyped I had to type this drabble (which I just wanted to see) and start the fandom tag here on A03. Which I'm used to, as I tend to write fic for rarer/non-existent fandoms like old radio shows and criterion collection movies. Also took the chance to come up with a bunch of tags, so they already exist for other writers to use. I hope you enjoy!! <3 I'm a huge sucker for hurt/comfort and Alex needed a hug. Also got very Quiet Strong Dom vibes from Ernesto. And I see Alex as a sub - he needs subspace and someone to take care of him. Give him some peace and help with the stress. The boy, if anyone, needs and deserves it.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the party had finished, all the citizens had left. _Well_ , amended Alex as he looked up, _all except those two._

Those two. Ernesto and Kai.

He hadn’t expected their kindness, especially with how they met. Their initial reactions to his actions after their ‘team-up’ hadn’t been positive, either. He would have done the meet, but DEA arriving like they did just derailed him and sent him into a panic-driven freak-out. Especially with it run by Agent Walton Zivic. Fucking Zivic. He was a bully. Alex couldn’t do it then. Not with the hypertension (ever-present) and the PTSD he knew inwardly he had. Not with the burn-out he was still reeling from.

And then Kai took him to her neighborhood and opened up to him with her semi-naiveté and optimism. He tried to flee to the beach, but she’d managed an opening. Ernesto had slipped in then, with his simple movements and yoga-style quotations. Alex had hid behind drinking the cup he’d been handed, trying to hide what their simple trust and willingness to quietly sit on the sand with him had meant.

Trust. Friendship. Support.

He hadn’t thought to have those things again after what had happened before. Those 9 months had been brutal and his support system had dwindled to a couple people which hadn’t helped with what he’d been going through. He still felt like an exposed nerve, raw and aching, most days.

His musings were interrupted by Kai, who motioned him to stand so she could grab someone’s scarf Alex had been sitting on. After putting it in her purse to return, she looked at him seriously.

“Thank you,” she said, her beautiful face showing honest gratitude. “Seriously. What you did was important.”

Alex felt his ears warm and shrugged. “It wasn’t that big a deal. It wouldn’t have helped to have the DEA get him.”

“But you trusted us to back you up.”

Alex turned to see Ernesto, who’d somehow come to stand by them without Alex realizing. And how was Ernesto already able to do that? And there was that word again – trust.

“I – um …” Alex started, but didn’t know what to say. Ernesto came closer and Alex had to tilt his head slightly to look up at him. He swallowed, feeling vulnerable. But unlike with everything else – it felt safe. Like when Ernesto had grabbed him earlier. He stiffened as he felt Kai’s hand land on his shoulder. His watch gave a small beep, but he breathed out as his shoulders relaxed slightly.

“It is a big deal. It would make sense if you didn’t trust us, not with what you’re still coping with. But you did. And that means a lot. You trusted us to keep you safe. We respect that.”

“Well, I’m trying to find ways to fit in,” he said softly, his chest aching. “Hypertension.” Trying to still joke - to not think about the praise.

“If you trust us, I think we can help with that.” Ernesto said, staring steadily at Alex. Alex licked his lips.

“How?”

“Let us hold you?” Kai said softly near his ear. “Somehow, I get the feeling you haven’t received much hugs lately. And I would like to give you one. As would Ernesto, if you’re up for it.”

A hug. God, it suddenly felt like an eternity since he’d been hugged by someone who cared about him. A proper, longer hug. Alex suddenly craved it and whispered “Yes” shakily. A sigh left him as he felt Kai’s arms slide around him from behind, holding him secure. Ernesto reached up and softly stroked his hair. Alex gave a small hum. His eyes slipped closed. He felt the hand guide his head onto Ernesto’s shoulder as he was pulled into a hug by both of them. Surrounded by them. Safe.

He couldn’t help but relax, Kai’s hands softly rubbing as Ernesto stroked through his hair.

“That’s it and just relax. Good boy, Alex.”

Ernesto’s smooth voice murmured the words like they were nothing, but Alex felt warmth spread through him. He melted slightly and couldn’t keep himself from nuzzling slightly into Ernesto’s shoulder and neck. He felt a gentle kiss dropped into his hair as Kai gave a soft laugh.

“You’re good, Alex. Just let yourself feel happy. We’ll take care of you. Whenever you need it. You’re our ex-DEA agent. You’re safe.”

Alex let himself melt more as he realized he did. He felt happy. Safe. Even possibly peaceful.

With these two, maybe this island thing could work out after all. He hoped it would.


End file.
